Senate GOP hopeful Winslow vows new ideas

LOWELL -- Republican Senate hopeful Dan Winslow wants to be an "innovation senator," representing a state known for its innovation economy.

The Norfolk state representative, a contender in the three-way battle to be the GOP nominee in June's special Senate election, told The Sun's editorial board this week he wants to bring new ideas to Capitol Hill.

"People don't do ideas anymore in politics," said Winslow, 54. "And I don't know why. I'm willing to be wrong, because if you don't like my idea, my invitation is, 'What's your better idea?' That's how we enrich democracy."

A state representative since 2010, Winslow spent eight years as a judge and served as Gov. Mitt Romney's chief legal counsel for two years.

Winslow described himself as socially moderate and fiscally conservative.

"Bill Weld claimed me as his own," he said of the Massachusetts governor who appointed him to the bench, a Republican politician who at times irked his party with more liberal social views and endorsed Barack Obama for president in 2008.

Winslow is pro-choice and supports same-sex marriage, stances he believes fall in line with his party's belief in limiting government intrusion into the lives of individuals.

Winslow's opponents in the Republican primary are businessman and ex-Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez, of Cohasset, and former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan of Abington.

The election is April 30.

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In his meeting with The Sun, Winslow acknowledged that Sullivan is seen as the race's front-runner.

He said Sullivan is courting the social conservative base, relying on "existing networks of pro-life and anti-gay organizations."

Winslow also sought to distinguish himself from Rep. Ed Markey, who remains out ahead of Rep. Stephen Lynch in the Democratic primary, by pointing out that Markey called his vote in favor of the Affordable Care Act the best vote of his life. Winslow opposes the act mandating universal health-care coverage and wants to see it eradicated, in part because of its high costs.

Instead of a "repeal and replace" approach, Winslow said he favors a policy he'd call "excel and exempt," which would serve much the same purpose on a state-by-state level.

"I don't like to federalize anything," he said. "I like to keep government close to people."

Winslow's plan would allow states meeting the Affordable Care Act's requirements to exempt themselves from the law. So far, he said, only Massachusetts would be able to do so, but some other states, including New York, would be close.

"We'd be the first ones in line to get out," he said. "That's part of the reason I want to do it, but think about it in the legislative process. I can sell that argument."

Washington's recent argument over gun-control legislation, including the background check expansion shot down this week by a minority of senators, shows how the system is currently broken, Winslow said.

He said he would have voted in favor of the bill, but believes increasing the availability of mental-health services, including the option of court-ordered outpatient treatment, needs to be a priority as well.

"I'll go that far, but what I really want to talk about is mental health," Winslow said. "But I'm not dogmatic about it in the sense that it's my way or the highway. I'll have a conversation about it. I'll have a reasonable conversation with anybody."

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